Hey there December, you've spring upon us rather quick! Can you believe 2015 is less than 30 days away!? I need to look back and do some major reflecting on this past year. So much has happened and changed in my life and to tell you the truth, I'm a little scared for 2016. I know I need this year to be over, but I'm not sure I'm ready yet. Hard to explain, hence, I need to reflect.
Anyway, it's been a very productive week over here and I feel rather good about it all! Maybe it is this end-of-year winding down that's pushing me to wrap things up and even just get weekly tasks done right away. (Okay, maybe I just jinxed myself. I took a break from writing this intro to make dinner. I tried to open a new huge heavy jar of pickles...and it fell on my little middle toe!) (Morning update: I don't think it's broken. Just kind of hurts and is red around the nail bed, haha!)
Time to let you guys browse the Finisher now π This was a productive week, but I have a hectic weekend/week ahead, so I'm pulling all the good vibes to stay with me! Have a wonderful weekend and stay cozy warm! xoxo
Monday: Soft & Chewy Ginger Cookies
Tuesday: Gluten-Free Gifts For Kids
Wednesday: Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
Blog Posts and Links I loved this week:
Life, Mind, Body, Spirit:
+ Being Okay With The Directionless Phase Of Life
One of the hardest phases to be in.
+ What Are Limiting Beliefs And Are They Holding You Back?
Are you doing this to yourself?
+ How I Broke Up With Stress (And How You Can Too)
Some great advice to think about!
+ Let's Stop Comparing Ourselves To Others
"Soul destroying", she said it!
+ Discovering The Words And Moments That Matter Most
Such a beautifully written post!
This woman. xo
+ 3 Scientific Ways To Prevent Awkward Conversations
These could probably work!
+ Stop Trying So Hard To Be Happy
Just let go and let it be!
+ A Plea To The Man I'm Raising
Don't give up.
+ This Is What Happens The Moment You Truly Forgive
Beautiful. I talked about this last year.
+ Advice For My 20 Year-Old Self
Lee has some great things to say here!
+ 100 Things To Be Grateful For
Other than the obvious!
Fitness:
+ Ballet Dancer Sergei Polunin Simply Slays Hozier's 'Take Me To Church'
So simply stunning. Make me miss dance :/
+ How Fitness Makes You Confident
It makes you SO confident!
+ Handstand To Crow And LearningΒ To Be Stronger
This was a much needed post from Jen!
+ Everything You Need To Know To Get Started With Kettlebell Workouts
Number 1...it's kettleBELL! Haha!
+ Deadlift Your Way To Better Glutes
I have a love/hate thing with them.
Wow. Yes. Yes to everything here.
Food:
+ What The World Thinks Of GMOs
Gotta step up, America!
+ How To Brew Kombucha At Home
I think I must try!
+ 8 Things You Need To Know Before Doubling A Cookie Recipe
I think we're going to need to triple some.
+ The 31 Best Gas Station Snacks, Ranked
Number one is so wrong.
+ 23 Gifts For People Who Hate Cooking
But that s'mores maker!!!
+ 12 Creative Ways To Use A KitchenAid Mixer
Exactly... π
+ 8 Creative Ways To Use Up Your Stale Cereal
Or my favorite way, hemp seed!
Health:
+ Is It Actually Bad To Hold You Pee?
Well I do...lol!
+ DIY Homemade Honey lavender Lip Balm
All natural goodness for those winter lips!
+ 18 Problems Only People Who Are Always Cold Understand
Yea, and having Reynaud's sucks!
+ 16 Things Only People With Reynaud's Will Understand
Speaking of. Every single one of these! (I love holding my hands under the dryer!)
+ 4 Myths To Building A Holistic Business
It's going to be hard work, but follow your passion!
We all need to take this seriously, though.
Celiac Disease & Food Allergies:
+ Eat Gluten! (Unless You're Celiac)
Gluten-free doesn't mean healthy or better!
+ Your Guide To Donating Gluten-Free Food To Food Banks
You may have never though about this. But it's always on my mind when I donate.
+ Coping With Celiac: Rock Island Woman Marks 50 Years Of Living Gluten-Free
She is a badass! A pioneer!
Blogging, Social Media, Tech & Photography:
+ Low Light Photography Tips For The Holidays
I am serious this year. I WILL photograph on Christmas Eve and Christmas!
+ 6 Key Principles That'll Take Your Food Photography To The Next Level
Must try tethered shooting!
+ How To Write You "About Me" (And Why It's Important!)
I feel like I should update it every few weeks!
+ 31 Days Of Writing Prompts For December
Christmas is on a Friday Finisher day this year :O
+ The Eco-System Of Your Online Content & How To Make It Work For You
Such a great comprehensive post to check out!
I can't not agree!
+ The Secrets To A Highly Effective Website Design
This is a great resource to look over!
+ What I Leaned FromΒ Having A Blog That Failed
Great lessons!
Other:
+ If Black Friday Were A Movie
Well this is late now, but omg! So funny! So good!
+ Marshmallow Out USB Foot Warmers
I sent this to Santa as a joke...but I'm thinking he should take it seriously π
+ 23 Impossibly Cool Gadgets For The Person Who Has Everything
Those bedphones are pretty nifty!
Love some of these ideas! Board Games are always great! So is the book idea!
+ What Each State Does The Best
Least smokeless tobacco???
Favorite Pins:
(Follow me on Pinterest β RebeccaGF666)
Spiralized Sake Carrot Salad With Nori Granola Topping. Spiralized AND savory granola? Yes!
Ginger Switchel Floats with Cinnamon Ice Cream. This is just so amazing on so many levels!
Cauliflower Couscous with Baharat Spice, Fennel Seeds, Pumpkin Almonds, and Cranberries. Where do I ever start!?
Chickpea, Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Oatmeal Bars. Everything about this entire post and recipe is stunning.
Cinnamon Apple Turnip Soup. This is a pretty "sweet" flavor combo!
Oatmeal Latte. Um, so, there is no need for your coffee cup this morning!
Butternut Squash Chicken Curry. One perfect seasonal and soul-comforting curry!
A few things I loved about my week or am grateful for:
+ Everything I got done! I was even so productive that I started a new book and am "bookin" it through! So good!
+ One more week of classes and then just some final tests! Wooo!
So tell me:
+ Have you started reflecting on 2015 yet?
+ Have you ever broken your toe...by doing something stupid? My brother broke his toe tripping up the steps (on his birthday!) once! What a gift π
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Maria Davis
Thanks so much for the mention! Your recipes look amazing!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks dear!
Kristen @ The Endless Meal
I've been away and missing your Friday Finishers. As alway, so many great links!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
They're always right here waiting for you π
Kristen
I'm super late on reading this, but I always love checking this out! I always feel like it must take you forever to compile all this, but I love it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks Kristen.
Farrah
I'm still having a hard time accepting how quickly this year went by!
So very much agreed on fitness making us confident! <3
I need to try making my own kombucha! :]
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes, yes, and yes! Haha!
Amelia @ RXforWellnessDC
Wow! I just started following your blog a few days ago and I love your Friday Finisher post. I have things to read and follow all weekend now. Love your recipes and all the positive reinforcement here!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O thank you so much Amelia! That means a lot! xoxo
Evi @ greenevi
I hope your toe is okay now! Get well!
2016? Crazy, crazy, crazy, I can't believe 2015 is almost over....
BTW I really enjoy all these links you share Fridays, I just grabbed a cup of hot tea and a big blanket and gonna start reading π
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you dear π It's all more bruised today...o well. If it's broken, it can just heal on its own!
And that makes me so happy! These posts are hard to put together!
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama
I hope your toe is feeling better! I had a frozen burrito come flying out of the freezer and land on my foot earlier this year. Damn burritos!!! I loved the Please...Stop The Yoga post. I like to post pics on Insta not because I'm doing something super complicated (hardly) but to show that ANYONE can do yoga. It irks me when I get the comment - I wish I was flexible enough for yoga. If you can breathe, you can do yoga!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Those burritos and pickles, eh? Evil stuff!
Yes, there isn't one "yoga". Yoga is such a general term and yoga is much much much more than the physical asana!
Harriet Emily
I hope you have a great weekend Rebecca! I'm seriously loving this weeks links - love the sound of the honey and lavender lip balm!! I bet it smells amazing! π
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I know! I want to make some!! It seems so fun!
Jen @ Chase the Red Grape
Thank you so much for sharing my post! Can't wait to go and check some more of these out! π
Hope you have a fab weekend! X
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You too sweetheart!
Divya @ Eat. Teach. Blog.
What book are you reading?!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
A Tap On The Window by Linwood Barclay! Love his books!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma
Those ginger ice cream floats need to be mine ASAP! Thanks for linking to my kombucha post! Enjoying one right now actually! Have a great weekend π
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Don't they just look insane!?
Hahaha, I need to get brewing π
Sam @ PancakeWarriors
Hope your toe gets better! Oh my gosh I've done silly stuff like that before - yesterday I dropped my weights at the gym and it bounced and hit my toes... holy cow that was bad! Loving all these blogging and fitness articles today, can't wait to go spend an hour on the internet with your links!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
That's always on of my fears! Dropping a 40 pound dumbbell on my foot! And I workout at home so I don't have shoes on....
xoxo
Cassie @ Almost Getting it Together
I can't believe it's almost 2016... so crazy! The About Me updating is such a good read... I really need to update mine!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I updated mine in the beginning of the summer...but now I feel like it needs some redoing!
Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen
Love all this fun stuff Rebecca! Thanks so much for including my protein bars, just got done eating one a bit ago π Have a great weekend π
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Lucky girl π They look fantastic!
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious
You'll have to let us know if you try tethering. It's something I've been wanting to explore!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, I will! I just don't know if I have the right wire...
But it would make sense since I end up taking 70+ photos every time π
Krysten
Damn those pickles! And thanks for including me girlie! xox
I am off to check out that cinnamon apple turnip soup recipe!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, at least they tasted super yum π
That soup sounds so good, right?!
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
Poor little middle toe, hope he heals up okay. I'm actually surprised the whole jar didn't shatter on your foot, so I guess that toe is taking one for the team this time ha! Oh and oatmeal latte = genius!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I know! That's what surprised me the most too! Like no a shard of glass nor a nary of pickle juice got on the floor. My toe though...it does kinda hurt π But I'm good with pain! Pickle pain!
That bowl of goodness.....my bath tub!
Trish
I always enjoy your Friday posts. That Spiralized Sake Carrot Salad With Nori Granola Topping looks really amazing -- need to go check out that pin! Thanks!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I so want to make that one!
Laura
Thanks for the shout out on the carrot salad!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Seriously fantastic!
Emily @ My Healthyish Life
With graduation coming up I'm reflecting on this year AND my entire college experience. Yikes haha. Can't wait to read these today!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Girl, I bet you could write a novel with all that!
Eryn
So many great articles to read!! Thank you for sharing. I can't wait to read them all, and I definitely see some here I can't wait to share!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Awesome! Thanks Eryn! Happy reading π
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf
I can't quite believe that 2015 is almost over! And December really did sneak up. Hope your toe feels better and happy weekend!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It really did! It still feels like June to me time-wise!
Thanks dear, you too!
Susie @ SuzLyfe
Happy Birthday... You, too!
Science me out of that!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha it was so cruel!